Cue rant... :eek:

I'm trying to build a database using ms access and have downloaded a couple of sample files from 'tinternet to help with one or two bits i'm stuck on.

HOWEVER, whilst my old windows ME / office '97 system wouldn't give me any problems my xp machine using office xp has pulled rank on me. Whenever I try to open the access files i've downloaded (freely available - not protected or anything) I get a smart *rse message telling me that said file (already downloaded and saved on my hard drive) is located outwith my intranet and for security reasons it's not going to open!!!! I have 2 problems with this... 1) i don;t have an intranet, and 2) it's my computer - i'll decide what risk opening a file poses!!! This pile of plastic and copper is really starting to p*ss me off!!

Rant over...!!

Now, anyone any ideas how i can open a downloaded access database???

The later version of Access protect you from running Macros which can infect your PC. If you are happy these database files are clean, you can change the security settings of your macros to Low. Access: Tools> Macros> Security - Low(not recommended). Then retry opening the files.

You hav been warned.

It's because of people having an extremely similar response to MS NOT doing anything about security that it now does this...

Not only does it make sense to force you to make a proper decision, without it you'd have yet more virusses spreading...

There are some commands in macro-language that are able to wipe your hard disc, I was amazed what you were able to do (for legit purposes) when I investigated it.

You may be able to do something where only this dbase is allowed to run under low security, I find prompting a reasonable compromise, this way you'll get a single prompt (generally), you can still run the macros on the dbase you want, whilst being prompted about unexpected macros.

As you've pointed out though, it's your pc